Area 1 Security's Steve Pataky and Dawn Ringstaff Capture Coveted 2022 CRN Channel Chiefs Recognition

Pataky Also Named to CRN’s List of 50 Most Influential Channel Chiefs for Sixth Year

Area 1 was acquired by Cloudflare on April 1, 2022. Learn more.

San Mateo, Calif. – February 7, 2022 – Area 1 Security, the only preemptive cloud email security provider, is pleased to announce that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Steve Pataky, Chief Revenue Officer, and Dawn Ringstaff, VP of Global Channel Sales, to its 2022 Channel Chiefs list. CRN’s annual Channel Chiefs project identifies top IT channel vendor executives who continually demonstrate expertise, influence and innovation in channel leadership.

A panel of CRN editors selected the honorees for their channel dedication, industry stature and accomplishments as channel advocates. The 2022 Channel Chiefs are influential leaders who continue to shape the IT channel with innovative strategies, programs and partnerships.

Both Pataky and Ringstaff joined Area 1 Security in 2020, bringing decades of channel experience to help lead the company toward a 100% partner-centric go-to-market model. Over the past year, they led the creation of a new Solution Provider Partner Program and Managed Service Partner Program, and increased Area 1’s partner base by 150% (accounting for 80% of the company’s FY2021 revenue).

Along with the launch of a new partner portal and deal registration program, Area 1 Security developed a number of value-added resources for its partners, including: 

  • Free Area 1 Horizon™ services for signed partners
  • "Phish U" — an interactive, self-paced sales training and technical enablement program for partners
  • A co-branded Phishing Risk Assessment (threat assessment report) for partners to add to their standard assessment offerings
  • Enhanced co-marketing initiatives through Partner Tackle Boxes (sales/marketing toolkits), sponsored events and webinars and digital marketing initiatives.

“With so much hybrid and remote work in 2021, threat actors have been preying on employees and organizations like never before. The onus cannot and should not be on individuals to ferret out these nefarious attacks,” said Pataky. “Area 1’s preemptive anti-phishing solution stops 99.997% of phish, allowing users to focus on their business, not on triage in the aftermath of an attack. It is an honor to be distinguished by The Channel Company.” 

“Recognition as a Channel Chief is really a reflection on our entire channel program. Our team is passionate about driving transformation and execution when collaborating with partners and has a deep understanding of their businesses and challenges,” Ringstaff said. “This understanding helps us design and deliver programs that enable meaningful partner profitability and productivity.”

Patrick Sweeney, CEO and President of Area 1 Security, added: “Steve and Dawn bring decades of measurable success expanding channel programs. Our 150% partner growth illustrates the demand for partners to transition customers to cloud-native email security — a $10 Billion total addressable market. We are extremely privileged to have Steve and Dawn guiding partners through this opportunity.”

Pataky has been previously recognized as a CRN Channel Chief, including being named to the 50 Most Influential Channel Chiefs in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021. He also earned the Channel Innovation Awards Security Channel Chief of the Year in 2017. Ringstaff is a 2021 Channel Chief Recipient, a three-time recipient of the Women of the Channel award and a member of the Women of the Channel Senior Leadership Forum. 

“CRN’s 2022 Channel Chiefs recognition is given exclusively to the foremost channel executives who consistently design, promote and execute effective partner programs and strategies,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. “We’re thrilled to recognize the tireless work and unwavering commitment these honorees put into fostering outstanding business innovation and building strong partner programs to drive channel engagement and success.”

CRN’s 2022 Channel Chiefs list will be featured in the February 2022 issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/ChannelChiefs.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com

Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

© 2022. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Area 1 Security is now part of Cloudflare. This press release was issued in advance of Cloudflare's acquisition of Areal 1 Security on April 1, 2022.

About Cloudflare Cloudflare, Inc. (www.cloudflare.com / @cloudflare) is on a mission to help build a better Internet. Cloudflare’s suite of products protect and accelerate any Internet application online without adding hardware, installing software, or changing a line of code. Internet properties powered by Cloudflare have all web traffic routed through its intelligent global network, which gets smarter with every request. As a result, they see significant improvement in performance and a decrease in spam and other attacks. Cloudflare was named to Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top Company Cultures 2018 list and ranked among the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in 2019. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Cloudflare has offices in Austin, TX, Champaign, IL, New York, NY, San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Lisbon, London, Munich, Paris, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo.

Press Contact Information
Daniella Vallurupalli
+1 650-741-3104